The latest issue of JCP has a methods dialogue that explores mediation analysis and categorical variables. Dawn Iacobucci recommends a statistical method for testing mediation when the mediator or dependent variable is categorical. Three papers complement upon and extend Iacobucci’s conceptually appealing and readily implementable approach, by Fred Feinberg, Zvi Gilula, and David MacKinnon & Matthew Cox.

JCP Vol. 22, No. 3

In the latest issue of JCP (v. 22, n. 3), Simpson, Griskevicius, & Rothman open the research dialogue with an article examining consumer decisions in relationships. The authors focus on three points: 1) they discuss how each member of a relationship can influence the consumer decision process, 2) they advance a methodology by which to study the effect of relationships on consumer decisions — the dyadic framework, and 3) they review theories applicable to relationships and consumer decisions. Three papers, by Bagozzi, Gorlin & Dhar, and Wood & Hayes, contribute with thoughtful responses to the target article.

JCP Vol. 22, No. 2

In the latest issue of JCP (v. 22, n. 2), Kervyn, Fiske, and Malone open the research dialogue with an article on how the Stereotype Content Model can be applied to how individuals perceive brands. Five sets of noted authors respond to the article, then Kervyn et al. reply. This issue is rounded out with five thought provoking research articles and three interesting research reports.

JCP Vol. 22, No. 1

The latest issue of JCP (v. 22, n. 1) is the special issue on brand insights from psychological and neuropsychological perspectives, edited by Baba Shiv and Carolyn Yoon. This issue marks the first of JCP’s 20th anniversary year.

JCP Vol. 21, No. 4

The latest issue of JCP (v. 21, n. 4) is our special issue on the Application of Behavioral Decision Theory to consumer psychology. Guest editors Joel Huber and John Payne have put together an interesting set of ten articles that bridge the gap between the more cognitive psychological approaches typically used in behavioral decision research and the more social psychological approaches typically taken by JCP research articles, generating interesting insights for both fields.

JCP Vol. 21, No. 3

The latest issue of JCP (v. 21, n. 3) has a host of interesting articles, including four Research Reports, which JCP just began publishing this year. Additionally, this issue has a review article, where Henderson, Beck, and Palmatier review the theoretical underpinnings of loyalty programs.

JCP Vol. 21, No. 2

In the most recent issue of JCP (v. 21, n. 2), Priester and Petty explore the weak relationship between money and happiness in their research dialogue. In the target article, Dunn, Gilbert, and Wilson propose eight principles to get more happiness for one’s money. In response, Aaker, Rudd, and Mogilner offer five time-spending happiness principles; Chancellor and Lyumbomirsky propose that happiness can come from spending less (i.e., being thrifty); Vohs and Baumeister counter that money facilitates goal pursuit, not happiness per se; and finally, Schwarz and Xu explain that consumers don’t learn how to spend their money from their experiences because hedonic experiences are fleeting.

JCP Vol. 21, No. 1

The latest issue of JCP (v. 21, n. 1) is our special issue on Nonconscious Consumer Psychology. Guest editors Tanya Chartrand and Gavan Fitzsimons have put together an interesting set of eleven articles that represent the second wave of Nonsconscious Consumer research, which examines how factors outside of consumers' conscious awareness interact with each other and with conscious processes to affect consumer behavior.

JCP Vol. 20, No. 4

The latest issue of JCP (v. 20, n. 4) is our special issue on Aesthetics in Consumer Psychology. Given the importance of aesthetics in today's marketplace, I encourage you to check out the very interesting collection of articles put together by guest editors Vanessa Patrick and Laura Peracchio.

JCP Vol. 20, No. 3

The latest issue of JCP (v. 20, n. 3) starts an article based on our past-president, Hans Baumgartner's presidential address that explores the history of consumer psychology, using citation data for over 7000 articles from 1936 to 2009. Check out this interesting article, twelve additional conceptual articles, and a methods paper in the table of contents, found here.

JCP Vol. 20, No. 2

The latest issue of JCP (v. 20, n. 2) has an interesting methods dialogue section, where Priester, Bagozzi, Bentler, Fabrigar et al., and Iacobucci discuss the use of Structural Equations Modeling in Consumer Psychology. Check out these articles and nine others in the table of contents.

JCP Vol. 20, No. 1

In the most recent issue of JCP (v. 20, n. 1), the research dialogue discusses the impact of externally presented numerical anchors on perceiver judgments. In contrast to the traditional paradigm, where "anchored" judgments are typically explained as a result of elaborate thinking, Wegener et al. suggest that the same judgments can result from relatively thoughtful or non-thoughtful processes, with more thoughtful processes resulting in judgments that have more lasting impact. Frederick et al., Epley and Gilovich, and Russo contribute to this interesting dialogue.

JCP Vol. 19, No. 4

The last issue for 2009 (v. 19, n. 4) features a lead article based on the inspirational presidential address of Steve Posavac, along with eight other thought provoking pieces that advance our understanding of interesting aspects of consumer psychology. The final article should be helpful to all: Dawn Iacobucci answers everything you always wanted to know about SEM but were afraid to ask!

JCP Vol. 19, No. 3

To begin the research dialogue in this latest issue of JCP, Daphna Oyserman (2009) proposes that choices are often identity-based. However, the linkage to identity is not always explicit or obvious, because although identities are experienced as enduring, they are highly context sensitive. Six marketing researchers respond to these interesting proposals about identity-based motivation in a series of three thought-provoking articles, followed by Osterman's response.

JCP Vol. 19, No. 2

Higgins and Scholer (2009) review different sources of engagement strength in their research dialogue. Engagement strength is a critical component of Higgins (2006) model of regulatory engagement theory, which proposes that value, that is, individual's ultimate goal, is a motivational force of attraction to or repulsion from something. In this theory, engagement strength contributes to value intensity, independent of hedonic and other sources of value direction. Five scholars in marketing participate in the subsequent dialogue.

JCP Vol. 19, No. 1

In the latest issue of JCP, Yoon et al. (2009) review existing knowledge about older consumers and decision making. They develop a conceptual framework that incorporates the notion of fit between individual characteristics, task demands and the contextual environment. When the fit is high, older consumers use their considerable knowledge and experience to compensate for the impact of any age-related changes in abilities and resources. When the fit is relatively low, older consumers feel increased need to adapt their decision making processes. The research dialogue continues with an offering of different perspectives on aging and consumer decision making from a number of experts in the field.

JCP Vol. 18, No. 4

In the most recent issue of JCP, Wyers et al. (2008) explore the processing strategies used to integrate visual and verbal information. The authors propose that two different processing strategies underlie the integration of this information, the activation of which may be influenced by (a) chronic individual differences in the disposition to process information visually vs. verbally, (b) situational factors that influence the relative accessibility of these strategies in memory, and (c) characteristics of the information to be processed.

JCP Vol. 18, No. 3

In the latest issue of the Journal of Consumer Psychology, Simonson (2008) proposes that there exist stable inherent preferences that are not determined by context. Several consumer psychologists contribute to this research dialogue with four interesting commentaries, including Bettman, Luce, and Payne (2008) who show that stable preferences are not incompatible with theories of preference construction. Enjoy this lively debate, plus four other articles, in the latest issue of JCP.

JCP Vol. 18, No. 2

In the latest issue of JCP, Fitzsimons and Moore (2008a) ask the provocative question of whether we should ask our children about risky behaviors, knowing from our field's research that asking such questions has the potential to increase the frequency with which children engage in these risky behaviors. Several consumer psychologists join in the debate, and Fitzsimons and Moore (2008b) suggest techniques that might reduce the impact of asking such questions.

JCP Vol. 18, No. 1

In the latest issue of the Journal of Consumer Psychology, Baumeister et al. (2008a) open a dialogue on the role of consumer free will, which they define to be a form of action control, endowed by evolution to humans. These authors assert that self-control, planful action, and rational choice are vital forms of free will that require the use of limited energy resources. When these resources are depleted, self-control fails and decision making is impaired. Several consumer psychologists contribute to this research dialogue with interesting commentaries.

JCP Vol. 17, No. 4

In the latest issue of the Journal of Consumer Psychology, Dunning (2007a) reviews the strategies people use to see themselves in a favorable light, as capable, lovable, and moral individuals. He posits that consumer behavior may be designed to bolster these favorable self-views. Several consumer psychologists comment on and extend Dunning's assertions in this interesting research dialogue.